- You must have your new Essex CAS, you’ll need to refer to your CAS statement
and all your supporting documents when you fill in your online application.
- You can apply up to three months before the course start date on your CAS. For
example, if your course start date is 1 October on your CAS, you must not apply before
1 July or your application will be refused.
- You must be living legally in the country you apply in, you can’t be a
visitor.
- You can’t travel to the UK until your visa sticker is placed in your passport.
- You can't make a Tier 4 (DES) application overseas.
When you're ready to apply
Apply via the UK Government website.
Most students should choose the Tier 4 (General) student visa type. However, if you’re a Chevening or Marshall and
Commonwealth scholar there is a separate application form, so make sure you select the correct one.
The application form is intuitive so how you answer each question will then lead to additional questions. Take
care when completing it. If you make a simple mistake such as choosing the incorrect gender you can address that
when you go to give your biometrics/interview. If you make several mistakes you may have to withdraw your application and apply again.
Useful guidance
Start by reading the UKCISA guidance on
making a Tier 4 application overseas.
We’ve produced a flowchart that plots your Tier 4 journey from receiving
your Essex CAS to starting your course. We hope that this will be a useful guide to the process.
When to travel to the UK
The Home Office advise against booking any non-refundable travel until your passport
containing your entry clearance vignette (visa sticker) has been returned to you.
If you travel to the UK before your Tier 4 entry clearance sticker is placed in your
passport you won't be granted entry to the UK and will have to return home. If you're
concerned that you will be late please contact us.
If you intend to travel to the UK shortly before your course is due to start we recommend that
you include your intended date of travel in your application.
Studying for more than six months
If your course is longer than six months you will be issued with an entry clearance
vignette that will be valid for 30 days before the course start date on your CAS or 7
days before the date stated as your intended date of travel in your Tier 4 application,
whichever is later.
You must arrive in the UK within the
30 day entry clearance vignette (visa sticker) and register on your course by the Latest
Accept Date on your CAS. When you arrive you'll need to
collect your BRP
from the place you designated.
Studying for up to six months
If your course is up to six months long then you will be issued with an entry clearance
vignette that is valid for the whole duration of your course and you won’t need to collect a
Biometric Residence Permit in the UK.
You must register on your course by the Latest Accept Date on your CAS.
Your UK address
If you don’t know your UK address yet you can put your campus address, as shown on your CAS
statement. Once you're in the UK and know where you will be living, you will need to
tell the Home Office.
RQF level for Essex course and previous study
When you complete your application it will ask you for the RQF level of the course you are
going to be studying and if applicable, for previous study. RQF has replaced NQF. Your CAS statement
and previous qualifications may state NQF, the value is the same so for example, if your CAS or
qualification states QCF_NQF 7 you should input RQF7.
Collecting your BRP
If you’re studying for more than six months, you’ll be asked to select the location from
which you wish to collect your BRP after you’ve arrived in the UK. The location you
should select will depend on which campus you’ll be studying at:
- Colchester Campus: ACL 2HE557 University of Essex, Colchester
- Loughton Campus: ACL 2HE557 University of Essex, Colchester (your BRP will be available to collect at our Loughton Campus)
- Southend Campus: Southend-on-Sea Post Office, SS1 1LL
Further guidance on collecting your BRP.
Not everyone is eligible to apply inside the UK. Read the UKCISA guidance,
making a Tier 4 application in the UK.
Starting a new Essex course
You can apply up to three months before the course start date on your CAS and must apply before your current visa
expires. In addition, there can’t be more than 28 days between the expiry date of your current visa and the CAS course start date.
Continuing the same Essex course
You can apply as soon as you have a CAS and can meet the requirements. You may have to make your Tier 4 application
overseas but our International Services team will let you know when you apply for a CAS.
Guidance when applying
SU Advice provide immigration advice and support about extending a
Tier 4 visa in the UK. If you're unsure if you can apply in the UK, please don't make an application without checking
with them first. SU Advice have created a video guide to completing the Tier 4 (General) application form. Guidance is also available
from UKCISA.
We highly recommend using the SU Advice check and send service. It's more likely you'll receive a refusal if you
don't use this service and your application will usually take longer for the Home Office to process.